Traction device



Oct. 29, 1963 s TRACTION DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1960 FIG. 4,;

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PETER DAS ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,i%,587 Patented Get. 29, 1963 3,103,587 TRACTIGN DEVICE Peter Das, 6427 Bertrand Ave., Reseda, Calif. Filed Dec. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 76,845 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-75) The present invention relates to a traction device and more particularly to a head strap which can be used for applying cervical traction to a patient suffering from a spinal or neck injury.

In certain types of spinal or neck injuries, the patient is put under cervical traction in order to remove nerve pressure, relax muscle spasms and stabilize the cervical vertebrae. Traction devices available today for applying cervical traction are in the form of a head halter which comprises a chin strap which is applied around the chin so that the upward force is directed primarily against the chin or lower jaw. These devices are extremely uncomfortable to the patient, and since the force is directed primarily against the lower jaw, the patient is prevented from talking or in any way using his lower jaw while in traction. The present invention is designed to eliminate this objectionable feature of the present halter while still being highly effective insofar as placing the patient under cervical traction.

Briefly, the principle of the present invention is to provide a head strap which fits adjacent the upper part of the head of the patient so that the traction force can be applied without immobilizing the lower jaw.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to generally improve traction devices for applying cervical traction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a traction device for use in applying cervical traction which will not immobilize the lower jaw of the patient.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a traction device employing a head strap which is adjustable in diameter and which is highly efiicient in use for applying cervical traction without immobilizing the lower jaw of the patient.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon perusal of the following description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the traction device of the present invention positioned on a patient in traction.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the traction device disclosed in FIG. 1, slightly enlarged.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the patient and traction device disclosed in FIG. 1, showing the head strap before tension is applied.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, with parts removed, showing the head strap with the patient in traction.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on a line 5-5 of FIG. 2, with parts removed.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a modification of the head strap disclosed in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the traction device of the present invention is identified broadly by the number 10 and comprises a circular head strap 11 which has an interconnecting yoke strap 12 sewed to opposite sides thereof by stitching 13. A pair of pull straps 14 are fixed as by stitching 15 to the respective sides of the yoke 12 adjacent the strap 11, and the upper end of each of the pull straps 14 has a buckle 16 carried in a folded portion 17 which in turn is formed by stitching 18. The buckles 16 are so spaced as to be received in the opposite ends of a suitable spreader bar 19 which has a loop portion 20 to which is affixed one end of a rope 21, the other end of the rope 21 being connected with a suitable device for applying a pulling force thereto. It will be appreciated that such a pulling force can be applied by any suitable stretching machine, or the rope 21 can be directed around a simple pulley and a counterweight employed for placing the rope under tension. It will also be appreciated that the spreader bar is of such a length as to prevent the strap 11 from crowding around the head of the patient, as will be more fully appreciated hereinafter.

The angle formed between each strap 14 and the rear portion of head strap 11 substantially exceeds the angle between each strap 14 and the forward portion of head strap 11. In the presently preferred embodiment the forward angle is approximately 70 and the rearward angle is approximately Also, the distance from the vertical center line of stitching 13 to the rear edge of strap 11 exceeds the distance from stitching 13 to the front edge of head strap 11 by about 7 to 5.

In operation, the head strap 11 is formed of such a diameter as to easily slide upon the head of the patient, see FIG. 3. Its position on the head of the patient is such that the strap is located across the forehead of the patient and rearwardly slightly below the rearward bulge of the head, the side portions of the strap being located adjacent the patients ears. In this position, the yoke I 12 is snug across the top of the patients head.

When a pulling force is applied to the rope 21, this same force is applied to each of the pull straps 14 by way of spreader bar 19. The upward force applied to each of the pull straps 14 causes the head strap 11 adjacent the opposite sides of the patient to bend upwardly in response to such force, and the resultant of this upward force applied to the respective pull straps 14 is such that the head strap adjacent the forehead and the rear of the patients head exerts an inward force of a scope sufficient to securely clamp the head strap upon the head of the patient. This clamping force of the head strap is in ratio to the upward pull force applied to the respective pulling straps, so that the greater the tension applied to the straps 14, the more securely the head strap is clamped to the patients head.

It will be appreciated that the force applied for placing the patient in cervical traction is directed to the top of the patients head, and, therefore, does not immobilize the lower jaw of the patient. The patient, therefore, does not suffer to the extent he does when the present type of halter is used, and can talk or take food even when under traction. Also, as pointed out above, the head strap cannot slip during traction since the upward pulling force is directly responsible for applying the clamping force of the head strap upon the head of the patient, and the greater the upward pulling force, the greater the clamping force exerted by the head strap.

The strap is preferably formed of suitable flexible material, such as heavy duck, or webbing, and, therefore, can be easily folded into a compact shape when not in use. It will also be appreciated that the head strap 11 can be made adjustable in length, see FIG. 6, by interconnecting opposite ends by means of a suitable strap 22 and buckle 23. This strap and buckle is preferably located so as to be either positioned adjacent the forehead of the patient, or adjacent the rear of the patients head.

What is claimed is:

1. In a traction device for applying cervical traction to a patient including a circular head strap formed of a size such that it will easily slide upon the patients head'and fit above the patients ears and across the forehead and slightly below the rearward bulge of the patients head, and pull straps fixed in angular relationship to opposite sides of said head strap lying along the sides of the patients head, characterized in that said pull straps are connected to intermediate portions of said opposite sides and that said angular relationship is such that the angle formed between said pull straps and the rear portion of said head strap exceeds the angle formed between said pull straps and the forward portion of said head strap when said pull straps are in a relaxed condition, whereby an upward force applied to said pull straps will take up the slack in said head strap and the resultant force applied to the front portion and rear portion of said head strap will securely clamp said head strap on the head of the patient whereby said patient can be placed in cervical traction without immobilizing the patients lower jaw.

2. The traction device of claim 1 further characterized in that said pull straps are aflixed substantially closer to the front portion of said head strap than the rear portion thereof regardless of the size of the patients head, whereby said resultant force causes said patients head 4 to extend forwardly and the major pull to be exerted under said rearward bulge.

3. The traction device defined in claim 1, wherein the angle of said head strap to said pull straps is approximately 40 greater relative to said rear portion than to said forward portion of said head strap.

4. The traction device as defined in claim 2, wherein said pull straps are fixed so that the relative length of said front portion to said rear portion is approximately five to seven.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 951,560 Eaton Mar. 8, 19l0 1,837,153 Ettinger Dec. 15, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,173 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1887 

1. IN A TRACTION DEVICE FOR APPLYING CERVICAL TRACTION TO A PATIENT INCLUDING A CIRCULAR HEAD STRAP FORMED OF A SIZE SUCH THAT IT WILL EASILY SLIDE UPON THE PATIENT''S HEAD AND FIT ABOVE THE PATIENT''S EARS AND ACROSS THE FOREHEAD AND SLIGHTLY BELOW THE REARWARD BULGE OF THE PATIENT''S HEAD, AND PULL STRAPS FIXED IN ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID HEAD STRAP LYING ALONG THE SIDES OF THE PATIENT''S HEAD, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT SAID PULL STRAPS ARE CONNECTED TO INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS OF SAID OPPOSITE SIDES AND THAT SAID ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP IS SUCH THAT THE ANGLE FORMED BETWEEN SAID PULL STRAPS AND THE REAR PORTION OF SAID HEAD STRAP EXCEEDS THE ANGLE FORMED BETWEEN SAID PULL STRAPS AND THE FORWARD PORTION OF SAID HEAD STRAP WHEN SAID PULL STRAPS ARE IN A RELAXED CONDITION, WHEREBY AN UPWARD FORCE APPLIED TO SAID PULL STRAPS WILL TAKE UP THE SLACK IN SAID HEAD STRAP AND THE RESULTANT FORCE APPLIED TO THE FRONT PORTION AND RARE PORTION OF SAID HEAD STRAP WILL SECURELY CLAMP SAID HEAD STRAP ON THE HEAD OF THE PATIENT WHEREBY SAID PATIENT CAN BE PLACED IN CERVICAL TRACTION WITHOUT IMMOBILIZING THE PATIENT''S LOWER JAW. 